Brain Development Archives - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)
New Research Links Childhood Adversity to Adolescent Mental Health Difficulties
June 16, 2024 | NWI
A new study from researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reveals that childhood environmental factors – including exposure to abuse, poverty, and pollutants – correlate with increased stress and mental health challenges during adolescence.
Drug-Free Approaches to Treating Anxiety
June 16, 2024 | NWI
A promising new approach to treat anxiety in teens involves intentional recall of a teen’s fears followed by a “memory reconsolidation updating” protocol.
What Clinicians Think is Driving the Youth Mental Health Crisis
May 13, 2024 | NWI
This brief describes findings from a survey of 1,400 clinicians regarding the reasons behind the national youth mental health crisis that continues to perplex government, health and community leaders.
Teen Behavior, Explained by a Neuroscientist
April 8, 2024 | NWI
A researcher at Tufts School of Medicine explains how brain development – as well as current events – can influence decision-making in adolescence.
‘Anti-Dopamine Parenting’ Can Curb Children’s Cravings
July 23, 2023 | NWI
Parents are constantly being told they have to limit how much junk food their children can eat or how long they allow them to use their devices. This can be a struggle, but neuroscientists now know what’s happening in a child’s brain that drives this overconsumption, and what parents can do to counteract the cravings that lead children to overconsume.
Anti-Poverty Programs May Help With Mental Health Disparities
May 22, 2023 | NWI
States that provide stronger social safety nets have lower socioeconomic disparities in the brain development and mental health of children 9 to 11 years old, according to research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health.
What’s Behind Steep Rises in Autism Rates?
April 21, 2023 | NWI
New research suggests doctors have improved at identifying autism, especially among children with average or above-average IQs. But that doesn’t fully explain the trend.
Social Media Use May Change Adolescents’ Brains
March 10, 2023 | NWI
A new study using neuroimaging suggests that adolescents who are heavy users of social media may become hypersensitive to feedback from peers.
Gaming May Help Cognitive Performance
January 27, 2023 | NWI
A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games.
Parental Trauma Leaves Biological Traces in Children
September 23, 2022 | NWI
Parental adverse experiences may influence the next generation through multiple pathways. The most apparent route runs through parental behavior, but influences during gestation and even changes in eggs and sperm may also play a role. And all these channels seem to involve epigenetics: alterations in the way that genes function. This article from Scientific American reviews research and implications.